Machine for forming box-bodies and the like



s ABBOTT. MACHINE FOR FORMING BOX BODIES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23, I9I7- 1 ,323, 1 43. Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

S. ABBOTT.

MACHINE FOR FORMING BOX BODIES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APn.23. 1911.

1,323,143. Patented Nov. 25,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IW/j 5%; 433022.

"S. ABBOTT. MACHINE'FOR ronmmc BOX BODIES AND we LI'KE.

KPPLICATJON FILED APR.23, I917- Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

4 $HEETS-SHEET 3- Imam- S. ABBOTT.

MACHINE FOR FORMINGBOX BODIES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23. 1911.

1,323, 143. Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

ti e STATESPATENT OFFICE,

sAMuEnABBorr, or oLEvELANn, OHIO, AssIGNon'ro THE GLOBE nacnnvne STAMPING COMPANY, or CLEVELAND, OHIO. i

' MAcHINE FOR, FORMING oX-BonIEs ANIDI'THE LIKE.

To 'cZZZ'whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, SAMUEL ABBOTT, 'a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Machines for Forming Box-Bodies and the like, of which the following is afull, clear,'and"exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a machine forming boX 'bodies'and the like, and has for its objects the production of a substantial and durable machine of this character that is susceptible to a wide range of ad justments thus readily lending itself to the making of articles of various sizes; the pro vision of simple means of quickly and ac curately determining and positively maintaining the adjustments; the production of a machine of the foregoing character that is rapid of operation; convenient of use; and wherein a blank is given a succession of gentle bends from its center toward its ends,

thereby allowing the metal to adjust itself to the new configuration without disturbing its integrity.

Other objects are the'inclusion, in a machine of the above nature, of simple means for properly locating the blank within the machine; and the employment of a control through which the action of the machine may be suspended upon a completion of the forming operation and before thearticle is released to hold the ends of the blank in proper relation to each other for joining.

The foregoing objects, and others which will become apparent as this description proceeds, are attained in an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1' is a plan view of the machine; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation, the machine being turned end-forend in this flgurewith respect to the position it occupies in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a verti cal section through the machine on the line 33-of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sectional details on the line msc of Fig. 3,the-three views representing, respectively, three successive steps in theoperation of the machine; Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 77 of Fig. at, the plane of section beingsubstantially coincident with that of the table top; Fig. 8 is a sectional detail on the Specification of Letters Patent,

for

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

Application filed April 23,"?1917. Serial No. 163,796.

line 8 S of Fig. 2, showing the clutch; F 1g. 9 1s a fragmentary perspective View of the blank from which a box body is formed; Fig. 10 is a similar view of the formed box body; and Fig. 11, a like View of one of the machine elements, known herein as a risen The frame of the machine is made up of the end members 1 and 2 which are rigidly connected at their upper ends by the front and rear longitudinal members 3 and i, re-

spectively. The members 3 and 4 are of.an

gular formation, their vertical flanges being attached to the end members by the boltsv 5, and their horizontal flanges constituting what I shall term, for convenience, the table of the machine. Entering into the makeup of the frame are transverse members 10, having end plates 11, which bear against the inner sides of the vertical flanges of the longitudinal members 8 and i, and which are clamped thereto by bolts '12 =passirig through holes in the end plates and slots in the flanges, 'thus providing an adjustment of the members 10 longitudinally of the machine. 1

The horizontal flange of the member a has longitudinal slots 15 through which bolts 16 pass for clamping, in various adusted positions therealong, the rearward extensions 17 of the lower corner members 18 of a form 20. The form further comprises upper corner members 21 which have depending sides thatoverlap side portions of the corner members 18- and areattached thereto, as by bolts 22. corner members 21 are connected together and spaced apart a definite distance by bars 23, and the forward ends of the opposed lower corner members are likewise connected and spaced apart by abar 2%. Tem plets 25 and 26, having curved outer surfaces, are shown asmortised within the cor ners of the members 18 and 21, respectively, and are held in place by bolts 27. In the action of the machine, theblank is bent upward and about the form 20, and, to withstand the upward thrust of the forming dies,

The opposed upper -tor engagement with the lower edges of plates 31, and at its upper end carries a cross-bar adjustable freely along the screw and held against upward movement by the nut and washer 80 and 37, respectively. Thrust blocks 88 are applied to and adjustable along the ends of the bar 35 and their lower ends engage'the corner members 21 of the form.

A block l0, having a dovetail groove along upper side, is secured to thefront member 3, at about its longitudinal center, and a dovetail slide ll is adjustable within the groove of theblock transversely of the machine, and the slide may be held inany ad-. justed position by a set screw A gage point 43 rises from the rear end ot-the slide, audits purpose will be presently explained.

In the front. and rear corners of eachot the transyerse frame members 10 are a pair of cars '7) between which are pivot-echupon pins 4. arms d-T (see Figs l to 0). i idjustablealong the free ends oi. the arms t? are the ends of a plate 50, the plate being provided with hollow bosses 51 for the vreception of the ends otthe armsand setscrews52 are threaded through the walls ofthe bosses for clampingthe plate in various adjusted positions. It will be seen that each pairof arms 4:? and the respective plate 50 constitute a framewhich is pivoted to one of the transverse members 10 so that the frame is capable of swinging upward alonesite the adjacent end oi? the form 20. T o the upper or outer edge ct each plate is hinged a plate the pintle of the hinge being represented at Springs 5'? are coiled abouteach end of thepintle, as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 9', and th ir ends are connected to the respective plates. Because of the direction in which they are wound, and the disposition of their ends the springs tendtomaintain the plates 50 and ina common plane. The plates have extensions 58 which normallyextend over and engagethe under or outersides otithe plates 50. Heads 60, which are adjustably connected to bumpers (31, are pivotally connected to the lower or inner ends of the. extensions 58, and the pii otcd ends of the heads are squared and abut. the adjacent surface of the plates 50, when the parts are in normal condition, so that the bumpers are held in planes substantially-parallel to the plates 50.

Guided. between the inner face of each transverse frame member 10, and guide plates 65 applied thereto, is a riser (36. Each riser hasan enlargement 67 at its upper end which normallyrests upon'the frame 1118111- ber 10, and side extensions 68 of the enlargement repose beneath the previouslyinentioned arms 17' and have anti-friction rollers 69'to1' engagement-with said arms. Tl ereiore, as the risers ascend, their rollers 09 traverse the edges of the arms and swing the frames consisting; of the arms 4:7 and plates 50 upwa d, therollers passing first along theinclined edges'and then alon the straight. ed jes of lateral extensions 1! of the arms 4d, all of which is clearly illustrated in Figs. etc 6.' Pivoted upon pins T0, havingtheir ends supported in plates "70 that are attached to the opposite sides or the lower socketed ends of the risers 66 are the upper ends of straps 'Tljoteccentrics whichare splined upon shaft 78, journaled within bearingsTQC, carried by .the end members 1 and-2, the shaft being supported intermediate its ends by ahearing bracket 7 The eccentrics may be secured in various adjusted positions along the shaft by set screws 75, theinner ends of which areadapted to enter recesses 76., Formed integral with and upon the inner side of each or" the eccentrics 72 is a cam 7-7, CV81 which a fork '78 engages and hasjournalcd within it, upon a pin 79, a rollerthat is arranged to traverse the cam. The torlz is adjustably connected to a yoke 82,- the upper ends of which are guided within bearing blocks 83 that are secured, h'y means'ofbolts 84-, to a beam 85 which, as will be seen upon refer-- ring to Fig, 7,.is attached to the adjacent transverse frame moinber 10 by the outer ones oi the aforesaid bolts 84:, the beam having clamped hetweenitself and the transverse frame member, theguide plates. 65 previously referred to. cured, by screws 89, to theupperend of each oi: the yokes 82, and hinged to the upper outer corner of each head 88 is a. plate 90. the hinge pintle being designated 91. ithin the upper faces of the heads 88, and within the plates 90, 50, and55,.are secured die members which are adapted to coiiperate with the templets 25 and 26, in the formation of the corners of the boxbody, the dies having curved faces complementaryto the curved faces of thetemplets. Rollers 101 have their: gudgeons journaled within ears 102 rising from the ends of the risers 66, and arethus supported in a position to engage and ride along the under or outer surfaces of the plates 90, when the'riser ascends Hardened abutments 10.3 are carried by the risers for engagement with the bumpers (36, as will be made clear in the description 0f-the operation of the machine. To more rigorously confine therisers to their paths of movement, I employ for each two guide rails105 and 106. The former is located adjacent the forward end of the riser and is connected thereto b screws 107 the raildepending alongside the frame member 10;and guided between plates 108, applied thereto, so that the rail105' ascends and descends with the riser. The lower end ot'the rear rail 106 is. secured, by screws 109, to the frame member, and its upper end A: head 88 is scis confined between guides that are carried by the riser.

Reposing upon the rear extensions 17 of the form members 18 are housings 112 within the perforated ends of which are guided plungers 113 that are impelled, by the springs 114, toward the ends of the machine and in a plane to engage the arms 47 when they are swung upwards These plungers, therefore, tend to initiate the downward movement of the arms after they have performed their function in the box forming operation. Springs 115, anchored to a part of the machine, overlie the rear ends of the plates 90 and tend to hold them in a horizontal position. To counterbalance each frame comprising the arms 47 and plate 50, I employ a weight 118 which is suspended upon cable 119, passing over sheave 120 and having its end connected, at 121, to the rear arm '47, near its pivoted end. Thus the mechanism which operates the risers 66 is relieved of unnecessary work. The sheaves 120 are journaled upon stub shafts carried by the upper ends. of brackets 123 which bear, at the lower ends, upon the rear longitudinal frame member 4. Each bracket is adapted to be clamped at various adjusted positions along the frame member by means of a bolt 124 which passes through the base of the bracket, beyond the edge of the horizontal flange of the frame member, and through a clamping plate 125, bearing against the underside of the flange. and having its outer end turned upward for engagement with the base of the bracket. This construction is clearly revealed in Fig.

A spur gear is secured to the shaft 73, adjacent the end member 1, and meshes with a pinion 131 that is fastened to a shaft 132. This shaft has its inner end journaled within a bearing formed in the lower end of a bracket 133 that depends from the rear frame member 4, and is supported near its outer end, within a bearing 135 applied to the frame member 1.- Beyond the bearing 135, the shaft132 has keyed to it a clutch element 136 for cooperation with a clutch member incorporated within the hub of the pulley 138 that is loosely mounted upon the end of the shaft 132. 'This clutch is of an ordinary type and involves a plunger 139, which enters a notch 140 in the hub of the pulley, the plunger being forced toward the hub by a spring 141, and the end of the plunger adjacent the spring has a lateral extension l42'for cooperation with a trip plate 143 that is secured to the upper end of a rod 144. The rod is guided within a suitable bracket 145 that'extends from the frame member 1 and a spring 146 tends to elevatethe rod, and consequently the trip plate, the latter into the path of the lateral extension 142 of the plunger. The lower end of the rod 144 has connection, through the links 148, with the forward endof an arm 149 that is shown as consisting of the the foot lever being guided adjacent its forward end within a loop 155, rising-from the floor. Y

A sheet metal blank A from which a box. body is to beformed, isshown in Fig. '9, and one of its longitudinal edges is turned laterally to form a flange a. Where the corners of the box body areintended to be formed, the flange is notched, as indi cated at a, for the obvious purpose of allowing the flange to conform to the shape given the. corner without crimping or buc' kling. At its longitudinal center and adjacent its edge remote from the flange a, the blank is provided with an aperture 0- which, in the completed boX, may serve as .a key-hole. v

In the operation of the machine, the blank is inserted beneath the form until its flange 64 engages the front surface of the lower corner members of the form, :and its position longitudinally of the machine may be determined by arranging'its opening a in register with the gage point 43. The operator then presses the foot lever 153, rocking with shaft 150 and, withdrawing, by reason of its previously described connections with the trip plate 143, said plate from engagement with the lateral extension of the plunger 139. Instantly the plunger is projected, by the spring 141, into efiective positionto enter the notch 1-40 of the pulley hub as soon as'the notch moves into register therewith, it being understood that the pulley is continuously driven through a suitable belt (not shown). Power is now transmitted through 3 the shaft 132, pinion 131, and gear 130,to shaft 73. Upon the rotation of this'sha-ft, the heads 88 are elevated to clamp and form the metal between the die members carried by said heads and the lower portions of the templets 25. Simultaneously with theelevzu tion of the heads 88, the risers 66 beginto ascend through the action of the eccentrics 72. engage the plates 90 and swing them up-- ward upon their hinges to present the die members carried by these plates into operative relation to the remaining portions of the templets 25, thereby completing the formation of the lower corners. ascent of the risers 66, through their rollers 68, swings the arms 47 and plates 50 upward, forcing their die members into firm engagement withthe portions of the templets 26. The parts are shown in this condition in Fig. 5. At this point in the oper- The rollers 101, carried by the risers,

The continued ation of the machine, the bumpers 61 repose above the abutnients 103 of the risers. so that upon further elevation of the risers the bumpers are forced upward to swing the plates over upon their hinges to present their die members into operative relation with the remaining portions of the templets 26, thereby to complete the formation of the upper corners'of the box body. Here the action of the machine may be stopped by the release of the footlever 153, so that the overlapping ends of the blank maybe connected, as by spot welding. At this stage the cams 77 and the eccentrics T2 are in their highest positions. Therefore, by againrenduring the clutch effective by the depression of the foot lever, the eccentrics and cams may continue to rotate as before to normal position to return the parts to the positions shown in Figs. 1 t0 4, when the formed box body maybe removed from the machine.

Shorter or longer bars may besubstituted for the present bars 23 and 24, in the pro duction of boxes ofvarious len 'ths; and to produce wider or narrower boxes, deeper or more shallow upper corner members, respectively, may be substituted for the present corner members 21; In thus changing the size of the fornnthe thrust blocks-38 and bar 35 are moved accordingly. Corresponding adjustments aremade throughout the box forming parts of the machine, the manner of makingthe adjustments being obvious from the constructions above described. It army he stated,howcver, that for different length boxes, the. risers 66,.and all parts associatedtherewith including the .ec centrics and cams,.may be'moved as single To facilitate properly'locating and z Jainiug in position the variousadjustable parts tapcred pins 160 are insertible through holes 161 of a series in each end of the vertical flanges of the members 3 and a and into holes in the end plates of the transversefinmc members 10'; similar pins163 are carried'by the rearward extensions 17 of the form members Bend are adapted to have their lower ends placed in holeslfil in the horizontal flange'of the rear frame me1nher 4:; and pins 166 may be inserted through holes in the bosses-51 of the plates 50 into various ones of a series of holes 167 in the arms 47.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a form, a head movable toward and in a fixed path with respect to said form, a die carrier hinged to said head, a frame pivotally supported in operatrve relation to the form, a die carrier hinged to said frame, dies carriedrespectively by the head, the frame and the first and second die carriers, means for moving the headto present its die to a portion of the form, and

the

further n'ieans arranged to engage first die carrier and the frame and nmvable to swing said carrier and frame into a position to present their respective dies to portions of the form, and operative connections be tween said means and thesecond die carrier forswinging said carrier to present its die to a' portion of the form.

2. In a machine of the character forth, the combination of a form,,a head movable toward and from a portion of the form, a die member hingedly connected to the head, a frame inclueingn die member pivotall supported in'operatire relation to theforin, a die member pivotally connected to thefrec side of the frame, bumpers having operative connection with the last mentioned die member, means for moving the head toward and from the-form, l a. member reciprocablc in a fixed path with respect to thehead and arranged to engage and swing the first men t-ioned die mem er and the franc toward the form l h ing' a part for engagement with the arorr i bumper for swinging the remaining die member toward theforni.

3. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a rectangular form frame, templots incorporated in corners ti :reof, a head locatedadjacent each end of the form frame and movable in a-plane sub stantially parallel to said end toward and from a cornertemplet of the frame, die carried by each head for cooperation with a portion of the adjacent teinplet, a shaft, means for otating said shaft, operative coni actions between said shaft andthe aforesaid heads, die carryingmembers.pivotally supported in operative relation to the ends of the form, dies'carried thereby for cooperation with further portions of the aforesaid templets, amember acent each head and reciprocable' in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of movement of the head and arranged to engageand swing said die carrying members into effective positions withrespect to the form frame, and operative connections between said members and. the shaft.

4. In a'machine of the character set forth, the combination of a supporting structure, a form of alterable size surmounting the same, a pressure element supportedby the structure beneath the form, power mechanism for movingsaid element into operative relation to-theform, and a thrust element rising from and adjustable with respect to the structure for backingup the 01111.

5. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a supporting structure, a form surmountingjthe same, a head'sup ported by said structure beneath the form, power mechanism for moving said head into operative relation to the form, a tension member rising from thesupporting structure and extending above the form, a thrust bar carried by said tension member, and thrust blocks between said bar and form.

6. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a supporting structure, a form of alterable size surmounting the same, a pressure element supported by the struc ture beneath the form, power mechanism for moving said element into operative relation to the form, a tension member rising from the structure and extending above the form, a thrust bar adjustable along said member above the form, and thrust blocks adjustable along the bar and interposed between said bar and form.

7. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a table, a form supported by and above the table and having connection therewith at the rear side of the table, die members pivotally supported adjacent the ends of the form, members supported by the table for cooperation with the die members and reciprocable in vertical planes adjacent each end of the form, thereby to swing the die members into operative relation to the form, a rail having its upper end secured to the forward side of each reciprocable member, the table having a way within which said rail is guided, a second rail having its lower end secured to the table a'djacent each of the reciprocable vmembers and extending above the table, each of said members having a guideway which traverses said rail, and mechanism for actuating the reciprocable members.

8. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a supporting structure, a form of variable size surmounting the same, an element located adjacent each end of the form and adjustable longitudinally of the structure, a shaft supported longitudinally of the structure beneath said elements, vertically movable head supported by each element beneath the adjacent end of the form, a series of die members pivotally supported by each element in operative relation to the form, a member reeiprocable within each element for engaging and swinging the operative relation to the form, means for swinging said element toward the form, and further means rendered effective as the element approaches the form for initiating the return movement of the element.

10. In a machine of the chaacter set forth, the combination of a supporting structure, a form supported thereby, a forming device pivotally supported in operative relation to the form, means for swinging said device toward the form, a guide carried by the supporting structure adjacent said device, a flexible element attached to the forming device and engaged over the guide, and a counterweight connected to said element for assisting in the swinging operation of the forming device.

11. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a supporting structure, a form of variable size supported thereby, a driving element, a unit supported by the structure and adjustable to compensate for the various sizes of the form, said unit comprising forming mechanism for cooperation with the form and operative connec tions between said mechanism and the driving element, the. supporting structure and unit having one an aperture and the other a series of holes with the respective ones of 1 which the aperture may be caused to register, and a locating device adapted to occupy said aperture and one of said holes.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature. I

SAMUEL ABBOTT. 

